BRAND LOVE ANCHORS:

HOW DO

BRAND LOVE AND PRODUCT LOVE

ARTICULATE?

Gachoucha Kretz

Associate Professor

Head of International MBA in Luxury Business

ISC PARIS Business School

Brand Love

Definition Discussion around definitions

Caroll and Ahuvia, 2006; Thomson et al (2005); Albert et al (2008); Albert et al, 2008, Batra et al, 2012

Based on existing frameworks:● Interpersonal relationship (Shimp and Madden, 1988, Whang

et al, 2004)

● Emotional attachment (Ball and Tasaki, 1992)

● Materialism (link with possessions) (Richins, 1994a)

● Link with self-concept (Escalas and Bettman, (2003, Edson

Escalas, 2004 and Richins, 1994b)

Interpretive approach:● Meaning of possessions Kopytoff, 1986; McCracken, 1986;

● Possession symbolism Belk, 1988; Wallendorf and Arnould,

1988a

● Extended Self Belk, 1988

● Brand community Schouten and McAlexander, 1995; Kozinets,

2001; Muniz Jr and O’guinn, 2001; McAlexander et al, 2002

● Brand iconicity (Holt, 2004; Holt, 2003b; Holt, 2005; Holt, 2003a).

Brand Love

Definition Discussion around definition

Caroll and Ahuvia, 2006; Thomson et al (2005); Albert et al (2008); Albert et al, 2008, Batra et al, 2012

Based on existing frameworks:● Interpersonal relationship (Shimp and

Madden, 1988, Whang et al, 2004)

● Emotional attachment (Ball and Tasaki,

1992)

● Materialism (link with possessions) (Richins, 1994a)

● Link with self-concept (Escalas and Bettman,

(2003, Edson Escalas, 2004 and Richins, 1994b)

Interpretive approach:● Meaning of possessions Kopytoff, 1986; McCracken, 1986;

● Possession symbolism Belk, 1988; Wallendorf and Arnould,

1988a

● Extended Self Belk, 1988

● Brand community Schouten and McAlexander, 1995; Kozinets,

2001; Muniz Jr and O’guinn, 2001; McAlexander et al, 2002

● Brand iconicity (Holt, 2004; Holt, 2003b; Holt, 2005; Holt, 2003a).

Gaps

METHOD

Understanding of Brand Love phenomena based on existing

frameworks

Albert et al, 2008; Batra et al, 2012

NEED FOR EXPLORATORY RESEARCH

BRAND LOVE ANCHORS

What is most important in the emergence of Brand love: the

underlying product or the brand itself?

Kleine and Baker, 2004

NEED TO RE-EXPLORE BRAND LOVE GENERATION

Approach by the meaning transfer

●Brand Love as the “passion for brands” (Batra et al 2012, Albert et al 2008)●Product Love as the “claim of irreplaceability of the product” (Ahuvia, 1993)

●Love for products and love for brands are studied as if brand meaning and productmeaning could not be disconnected

●“Brand bonds and possession attachment should be regarded as related but distinctphenomena” (Kleine and Baker, 2004): self-definition potential, irreplaceability

MEANING OF THE OBJECT? MEANING OF THE BRAND?

Research question

How do product love and brand love articulate and interact in time?

● What is the Brand Love anchor: the product or the brand?● Are brand meaning and product meaning connected or independent in BrandLove generation? Does meaning transfer from one to another and how?● Are brand meaning and product meaning evolving in time and how?

Method

EXPLORATORY RESEARCH ●Revisit Brand Love●Explore the brand and product relationship inBrand Love

DATA COLLECTION●Luxury brand and product consumptioncontext●15 French luxury brand and productconsumers from 21 to 60; majority of buyers;from ASW community and personalconnections

DATA ANALYSIS ●Content analysis of collages and narratives(Miles and Huberman, 1984)●Dimensions:

●Expressions of feelings for brands andproducts●Description of relationship from initiationto exit●Short-term and long-term benefits

Method

● Exploratory interpretive research (called for by Albert et al, 2008)

● Revisit Brand Love and product love breaking free from preconceived frameworks

● Explore the relationship between brand and product love

● Brand Love: passion for the brand (Batra et al 2012, Albert et al 2008)

● Product Love: claim of irreplaceability of the product (Ahuvia, 1993),

● Data collection:

● Context: luxury brand and product consumption

● Respondents:

● 15 French luxury brand and product consumers from 21 to 60

● Majority of buyers

● Selected in ASW community and among personal wealthy connections

● 2 to 4-hour in-depth interviews; no use of “love” or similar words (Albert et al, 2008)

● Data analysis:

● Content analysis of collages and narratives (Miles and Huberman, 1984)

● Dimensions:

● expressions of feelings for brands and products

● Description of relationship from initiation to exit

● Short-term and long-term benefits

Findings

● 4 representative cases (Ahuvia, 2005a, Kozinets et al, 2010):

Dominique, Anne, Omar and Sylvie

● Brand Love is the result of a meaning transfer

process

● In Brand Love, iconicity is key

● Brands and products compete, collaborate or

inform each other to contribute to Brand Love

● Brand Love changes and deepens or fades away

in time

ANNE, DOMINIQUE

OMAR SYLVIE

MEANING TRANSFER PROCESS

Identification process

(Anne, Dominique)

Then I have read a lot about fashion so I know exactlywhat the “must haves” are when you are a realfashionista. For example, you know that your firstluxury bag purchase must be a 2.55.

Competition

SOCIALLY ICONIC PRODUCT SOCIALLY ICONIC BRAND

Contamination process (Omar)

I started with usual men stuff like belts, fragranceand the like. Then I really liked the products, theirquality and their craftsmanship. I have started toread about them, their values and the brand. Ifound them amazing, I liked all of the brand and thecompany behind.

Collaboration

Singularization process (Sylvie)

What matters to me is how someone has been able tomaster gravity with a new tourbillon or spinningtourbillon. I do not really care if it is Greubel Forsey or of itis Jaeger Lecoultre, except if it tells something about theManufacture, the R&D; the watch makers etc.

Information

YSL Haute Couture 1990 YSL Retrospective Exhibition Petit Palais, Paris 2010

ANNE, DOMINIQUE

OMAR SYLVIE

Conclusion

THEORETICAL CONTRIBUTION MANAGERIAL CONTRIBUTION

●Adds to McCracken’s (1986) work onmeaning transfer process: from cultureto the brand and product by detailingBrand Love anchors

●Adds to Brand Love literature by:deciphering Brand Love anchors (theproduct or the brand) and suggestinglong term evolution and Brand Lovetrajectory in time

●Brand Identity and Brand IdentityPrism (Kapferer 2008) management●Brand extension management●CRM management (long-term)●CRM management (VIP customers)and PR management (influencers)

Managerial implications:

brand extension

IDENTIFICATIONPHASE

CONTAMINATIONPHASE

SINGULARIZATIONPHASE

Collection “Âme du Voyage”

Renaud & Papi (Audemars Piguet)

Managerial implications:

brand communication

IDENTIFICATIONPHASE SINGLE PRODUCT

Managerial implications:

brand communication

IDENTIFICATIONPHASE PRODUCT ASSORTMENTS

Managerial implications:

brand communication

CONTAMINATIONPHASE CRAFTSMANSHIP, HERITAGE

Managerial implications:

brand communication

SINGULARIZATIONPHASE INSIDER KNOWLEDGE, BACKSTAGE FOR VIPs

Ateliers d’Asnières (workshop in Asnières nearParis, for special orders, exotic leathers andcustom-made pieces)

Limitations

● Exploratory research: generalization

issues

● Need for quantitative, large-scale

confirmation